Page 34 of The Ruthless Fae King
He gave me a sad smile and it broke my heart. We ate in silence, and I couldn’t help but replay what had happened with his father over and over again.
“I’m embarrassed you had to see that,” Lucien finally managed to say. “I’m sorry… I wish he would just die already, or go live in the mountains and leave me be.”
I swallowed hard, but didn’t judge his harsh words, not after what I’d just seen. “Has he always done that sort of thing?”
Lucien shrugged. “Not so much when my mother was alive, but a lot after she passed. He doesn’t remember the next day.”
Not so much.That wasn’t the answer I wanted. And not remembering was no excuse. It reminded me of the elder in our court who’d had a drinking problem and needed help.
Reaching out, I grasped his hand. “Why don’t you stand up to him?” I’d seen him lose his temper with others a dozen times over the past days. But with his father it was like he was dead inside.
Lucien gave me a haunting look, his eyes dull and void of emotion. “Because the last time I did I froze the entire realm for a full day and night.”
I gasped. That was the reason for the Great Freeze? He’d gotten in a fight with his father and couldn’t control his power? His father must have beaten him, told him he was responsible for his mother’s death because he didn’t save her. What did those words do to an innocent sixteen-year-old boy who was already hurting inside?
“Oh, Lu—”
He stood, scooting his chair backwards abruptly. “I’m exhausted from the day’s travel. I’ll turn in and see you in the morning.”
I was so stunned by his revelation that all I could do was nod. His father had pushed him too far that night and now he was afraid to stand up for himself for fear of freezing the realm again. Over fifty people died that night. He felt fear at causing such a thing again.
Well, I wasn’t afraid. I had complete control over my power. I stood abruptly and Piper ran to my side. “Don’t do anything crazy,” she warned, knowing me too well.
She’d heard everything Lucien had just said. I looked at her with what I hoped was an unhinged expression. “You told me to stick up for my man, to show Lucien what it would be like to have a supportive queen by his side.”
Piper’s eyes widened. “Yeah, well, that was in relation to Marcelle, not the former winter king!” she whisper-screamed.
She was worried for me after seeing his display of power when he cut Lucien’s cheek with the icicle, but I didn’t fear that man. Ice could be turned to snow with one gust of wind.
I tipped my chin high. “I willnotlive in this home without that man being put in his place.”
Piper looked worriedly at the doorway, her mind no doubt churning through protocols and decorum.
“Wait here,” I told her. “Best there are no witnesses. Then it’s my word against that of a drunken fool.”
Her mouth popped open and I blasted past her, going in search of the man with the black heart who called himself a father.
* * *
I foundVincent Thorne in the dining room where I had left him. His wine glass was full and his soup barely touched. His beard was so long it dipped into the soup and it almost made me feel sorry for him.
Almost.
There was no staff here, so I closed the doors behind me after I entered. He looked up at the sound to see me and rolled his eyes.
“Go away and leave a man in peace,” he snapped.
“No,” I growled. I didn’t care if it was inappropriate, I didn’t care what protocol dictated, I would not allow him to bully Lucien and I, and whatever children we would have, for the rest of our lives.
I looked up at the small circle window at the top of the far wall and pulled my power to me, making a small crack in the glass and generating enough wind to make my hair blow around and let Vincent know I was pissed.
Lucien’s father laughed then, a drunken, grating sound. “I made her mad!” he cackled to no one.
I calmly strode over to Vincent and stood before him, gathering more wind with me and using it to press him into his chair. His eyes widened.
“You would dare use your power against me!?” he roared, and the temperature in the room plunged.
I leaned forward, hoping I looked as venomous as I felt. “Iwould. In fact, if you ever draw blood on Lucien again, I willkillyou.”
